Describe a piece of furniture in your home that is important to you

The piece of furniture that is most important to me is an old wooden desk in my bedroom. It belonged to my grandfather, who was a teacher, and he gave it to me when I started secondary school. So I have had it for about nine years now.

It is a large, heavy desk made of solid oak, with three drawers on the right and a flat top covered with dark green leather. The wood has a warm brown colour, and over the years it has got a few scratches and a small ink stain in the corner, which my grandfather always said was from a student's pen. It stands next to the window, so I have a lot of natural light when I study. In the drawers, I keep my notebooks, stationery and some old letters that I like to reread. I use the desk every day for homework, reading and now for preparing for my IELTS exam.

It matters to me for several reasons. The first is that it connects me to my grandfather. When I sit there, I imagine him marking exam papers late at night, and it makes me feel that I am continuing something he started. The second reason is practical. It is sturdy, big enough to spread out several books and very comfortable to work at, much better than the cheap, wobbly desks that you can buy in shops nowadays. Finally, it has a character that modern furniture lacks. I would never exchange it for a new one, and if I ever move abroad, I'll make sure that it comes with me.